The Man's Voice
by DreamaLirit
Summary: An alternate ending to Phantom (the musical version). Christine is forced to stay with the Phantom when Raoul does not reach her in time.


**Hey guys, Dreama here! So I have recently fallen in love with Phantom of the Opera, and I just thought up an alternate ending. Here it is, I hope you enjoy. **

It had taken me hours to finally locate the lair that the Phantom—the monster—inhabited. Hours where my precious Christine had been alone with that creature, at his mercy. I didn't want to even begin to imagine what could have happened to her by now, to my innocent beautiful love.

Finally I clamored down a final set of stairs and landed in an eerie room, lit by candelabra which did nothing to ward off the chill. An organ dominated the space, and the creaking floor announced my presence.

The monster emerged from a hidden doorway clad in what remained of a tuxedo, only black slacks and a white button down shirt. Light seeped from under the doorway which was now obvious. I stated my business, careful to stay across the room from the ugly, deformed man.

"I'm here for Christine, please, where is she?" Certainly he had at least a few human emotions left in him, enough to let another man's love go free. His music could keep him company, whilst I would be all alone without my beloved.

"She's in the bedroom," he stated simply, and pointed at the room he had just exited. My stomach dropped, and I ran across the room and threw the door open.

There was my love, on the bed covered in blankets, as this room was only marginally warmer than the previous one. When she heard the door open she buried herself deeper into the bed with a small cry.

"Please Erik, not again, we just finished, and it...it hurt s-so much..." She began to cry, and I ran to the bed and pushed the curls from her face.

"It's me Christine." The monster had a name, Erik? She lifted her head from the pillows and I softly stroked her cheek, keenly aware of the Phantom glaring at me from the doorway.

There was an awful red mark on her neck and bruises on her wrists. Had he restrained her? Had he...oh God had he...

"Raoul you should go, you can't do anything here." The Phantom stood on the other side of the bed, his mask off, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Yes, you should leave," he mused aloud, staring at Christine's covered body on the bed. "It's bad form to interrupt a couple on their wedding night."

I wanted to be sick. Tenderly, I moved my hand to brush the mark on her neck, and she flinched when I touched it.

"Did he do this to you?" I stood and angrily pointed at him. "Were you violent with her? I should kill you right now you son of a—"

"We are married," he said with an air of offence. "Is it not a husband's right to their wife?" Christine sat up, clutching the blankets to her, and she was the only thing keeping me from lunging and killing that monster with my bare hands.

"Please Raoul, leave," she pleaded tearfully. "I don't want to see you hurt."

"See _me_ hurt? He—he took you, he used you, hurt you, and now you're asking me to leave because..." I looked at the Phantom in time to see he had a revolver pointed directly at me. Christine's hand flew to rest on his arm.

She turned to him, and the sheets moved to show me a very bare view of her back, proving just how naked she was in that bed. Her hands tugged on his arm while he looked determinedly at him.

"Please my darling, don't shoot him. Let him go and...And you can have me again." She stood up from the bed and pressed herself to him, effectively causing him to drop his weapon. His hands gripped her exposed hips and he kissed her fiercely before looking over his shoulder at me.

"Get out of here and never return, or I shall shoot you on sight." Christine turned her head and nodded as if it pained her, so I turned and ran. I ran from the wretched place, although I did not get far before my curiosity caused me to pause at the very top of the staircase.

I heard a low groan from Christine, and as the door was open, I could see and hear everything that was happening though no one knew I was here. So I paused for a just a moment, to see what would happen.

He was on top of her, still fully clothed. Several moments passed and I saw her fingers appear on his shoulder.

"Please...Erik...go a little slower, that," she gasped sharply and her hand squeezed. "That's hurts."

Every instinct told me to go back down and whisk her away from her captor, but the gun was still in the bedroom, and he would surely kill me before I could rescue her.

"Erik, stop! I asked...please, stop!" She let out a sharp cry, almost a scream, and I knew I either had to leave forever or die trying to save her.

Broken sobs reached my ears and I saw him pull her onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder, while he soothed her like a child.

"Shh, love, shh, you'll get used to it. It'll only hurt for a little while, and then you'll like it. Hush now dear heart."

I turned a fled.

҉

Several years later I returned to the opera with my new wife. I had vowed to never set foot in the place again, but her best friend was going to be in Romeo and Juliet, and she had begged me to take her. When the show was over she went to visit her friend, and I dared a visit to the lair.

It was slightly warmer than last time, and for a moment I believed it abandoned. Christine appeared from virtually nowhere.

Surprisingly, she looked healthy, and a huge smile stretched across her face as she came to embrace me. To my utter shock, I felt her stomach bulge and press into mine.

"It's so nice to see you again Raoul." I stared at her midsection, the layers of fabric attempting to hide her condition.

"You're going to have a baby?" She blushed and rested a hand on her swollen belly.

"Um, well, yes, Erik and I are expecting." The Phantom appeared from nowhere at the sound of his name, and he stood behind her, one hand coming to rest protectively on her stomach.

"I thought I told you never to return." He wore his mask and tuxedo, and I vaguely remembered Box Five being dark but seeing a shadow move in it.

"My wife had a friend in the show; I only wanted to check on Christine." He frowned.

"She's fine, we're fine. Leave, please." Slowly Christine let her eyes flutter shut and nodded.

I never went back.


End file.
